1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a system for accessing the body, and, more particularly, relates to a cannula having a seal and an associated flexible body portion adapted to permit lateral, angular or longitudinal movement of an inserted instrument while also preserving the sealed relation of the seal about the instrument during its manipulation.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical cannulas are employed in various minimally invasive procedures including laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures. Such cannulas each typically incorporate a rigid tubular member and a seal mechanism. The seal mechanism is intended to form a fluid tight seal about an instrument or hand passed through the tubular member. The seal mechanism, however, is often limited by its ability to sustain a seal when an instrument is moved off-axis relative to a central axis of the cannula. Moreover, the seal mechanisms are also limited by their ability to sustain their integrity when the surgical instrument is angulated. Furthermore, due to the rigidity of the tubular member of the cannula, offset manipulation of the inserted instrument is restricted.